West Virginia House Passes $4.6 Billion Budget Bill

The West Virginia House of Delegates has passed its version of the state budget for 2019-2020 that includes funding for teacher raises.

The House voted 92-5 Saturday afternoon on the $4.6 billion spending bill.

The Charleston Gazette Mail reports a key difference between the House bill and the Senate's is the funding for teacher raises. The House bill passed Saturday includes $67.7 million to cover the raises, averaging 5 percent overall. The Senate version (SB 150) does not include funding for pay raises for teachers and school service personnel.

Senate Finance Chairman Craig Blair has said pay raises will be included if and when the Senate passes a House pay raise bill (HB 2730). That bill has been stuck in the Senate Education Committee for more than a week.

The West Virginia House passed a bill Wednesday that would reduce the severance tax paid on coal burned for electricity

House Bill 3142 passed on an 88-11 vote after contentious debate on the floor.

Long sought by industry, the legislation would reduce the severance tax paid by coal companies on steam or thermal coal from 5 percent to 4 percent effective July 1 and to 3 percent effective July 1, 2020.